Note : Les descriptions sont présentées dans la langue officielle dans laquelle elles ont été soumises.
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BACKGROUND OF T~IE INVENTION
Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a micro computerized,
! miniature postage meter which may be held in and operated by
S I hand, which is completely portable, and which may be stored in
I any one of a number of small spaces such as a pocket, purse, or
briefcase.
Postage meters are now widely used by commercial and indus-
trial businesses to selectively print postage indicia on documents
such as envelopes, labels, and the like. Managers of these
businesses, which frequently generate medium to large volumes of
mail, have found that meters are capable of handling postage far
more rapidly, economically, and conveniently, than manual ;~
operators who individually moisten and position previously
printed postage stamps on mailing documents. Furthermore,
printed postage is attractive as well as impressive to the
recipient of the mail on which it appears.
~ owever, individuals who use postal services relatively
linfrequently compared to business enterprises have been unable
20 1i to avail themselves of the a~.vantages of postage meters for a
~number of reasons. Primarily, use of presently known meters is
¦lonly economically feasible when relatively large volumes of
l¦postage are prlnted. Further, since these meters are ordinarily
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¦ large and cumbersome they are usually mounted for operation at
I¦ a fixed location. Therefore, they are inconvenient for use by
¦¦ a person who is accustomed to carrying postage, in the form of
previously printed stamps, with him.
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Description of the Prior Art
Postage meters which are now generally available are speci- ;
fically designed for institutional use by entities having need
for large volumes of postage. Thus, as noted, these meters are
usually large and are mounted at a fixed location. Typically,
they employ a complex mechanical printing device comprised of
e;ther a rotatably mounted printing die plate, operated to rotate
in synchronism with linearly moving documents, or a fixed print-
ing die plate against which documents are mechanically pressed, i,~
to imprint the documents with the desired postage indicia. ~!-
A postage Meter construction has been proposed in U.S. Patent
INO. 3,869,986 (Hubbard), assigned to the assignee of the present
¦ invention, which employs a rotatably mounted die plate to print
¦ fixed postage information, such as the postage meter registration
jlnumber, and an ink j~t printing device to print variable postage
jl inormation such as the date and postage amount.
j~ Still more sophisticated postage meters, ~hich nevertheless
! include mechanical postage printing apparatus, but ~hich emPloy
la micro computer set to perform control and data processing
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functions, are disclosed in applicant's U.S. Patents Nos.
3,978,457 and 4,097,923, issued August 31, 1976 and
June 20, 1978, respectively. However, none of these
postage meters may be conveniently used by an individual
who generates relatively low volumes of mail yet who
requires immediate access to postage regardless of the
time or place.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The invention relates to a microcomputerized,
miniature postage meter for printing postage indicia on
a document such as an envelope, label, or the like, the
postage meter comprising: printing means mounted in the
postage meter, movable in close operative proximity
relative to a location on the document where the postage
indicia are to be printed; microprocessor logic means for
actuating the printing means to print postage indicia on
the document when moved in close operative proximity
thereby; means for ascertaining the distance the printing
means is moved in operative proximity relative to the
document, and; means responsive to the distance ascertaining
means for signaling the logic means at a rate coordinated
to the relative movement of the document to the printing
means to thereby form the printed postage indicia.
In its method aspect, the invention relates to a
method of printing postage indicia onto a document comprising
the steps of: programming a postage printing device to
print postage indicia of desired form when moved relative
to the document; moving the printing device relative to
the document; monitoring the amount of relative document-
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to-printing device movement; and actuating the printing
device to print postage indicia on the document in the
programmed form at a rate coordinated to the monitored
amount of relative document-to-printing device movement.
In its preferred embodiments, the microcomputerized,
miniature postage meter of the present invention is
designed to be held in and operated by hand and may be
approximately the same size as a disposable butane-type
cigarette lighter. This postage meter may be stored in an
extremely small space such as a pocket, handbag, or
briefcase and is, consequently, completely portable.
Therefore, it may be transported and used as conveniently
as previously printed postage stamps.
The compactness of the microcomputerized, miniature
postage meter of the present invention and, hence, its
extremely convenient operation are achieved by eliminating
the ordinarily cumbersome document handling apparatus and
printing apparatus which prior meters include. Instead
of mechanically transporting or positioning a document
relative to postage printing apparatus as do presently
known meters, this miniature postage meter performs no
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I¦ document handling function. Compactness is further achieved by
¦ use of a micro computer which performs the control and data
processing functions of the meter.
In its preferred embodiments, the micro computerized,
miniature postage meter comprises printing apparatus in the
form of an ink jet printing device which is mounted to ~e moved
in close proximity relative to a document and is adapted to
project ink droplets onto the document when so moved. An opticai
monitor, mounted with the printing device, observes the rate of
relative document-printing device movement. The micro computer
¦ includes a logic circuit programmed to sequentially actuate the
ink jet printing device to project ink droplets onto the document
in a pattern that forms the desired postage indicia. The micro
~ computer further includes a clock circuit, connected to the
l~ optical monitor, which computes the instantaneous rate of
relative movement of the printing device and document from the
observed rate. A feedback signal is then generated from the
clock circuit to the logic circuit to coordinate the instantaneous
Ijrate of actuation of the printing device with the computed ~ -
!l instantaneous rate of relative document-printing device movement
in order to properly form the postage indicia without distortion.
Purchased postaye is stored in a postage memory reyister,
! also incorporated in the micro computer, which is addressablc
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by the logic circuit to reduce the stored postage amount by the
amount o~ postage printed during each meter use. A lock~out
circuit, connected to the memory register, disables the postage
i meter when the stored postage is depleted to a predetermined
5 ¦I minimum amount. Accordin~ly, the meter becomes inoperable when
the postage stored in it has been essentially exhausted.
In other embodiments, the postage meter of the invention may
¦ be incorporated with a hand-held, mathematical calculator and
may include a display for indicating, in simple fashion, when a
predetermined minimum amount of postage remains in the memory
register or, in more complex fashion, the exact amount of postage
which remains in the memory register. .
The micro computerized, miniature postage meter of the pre-
I sent invention may be used in conjunction with a novel method
¦ of distributing and dispensing postage. The meter is constructed
¦i so that it may be conveniently connected to a central postage
, distribution station. That is, the postage memory register of
the micro computer may be directly connected through an easily
1l accessible jack to a postage dispensing computer so that an
!~ amount of purchased postage may be entered in the meter. The
meter may then be distributed by mail or at rental centers to
¦~ individuals for their use. When the postage stored in the memory j
i register is exhausted, the meter is returned to the central
~postage distribution station for entry of additional purchased
;postage. Alternatively, the meter may be purchased by its user,
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¦~ and brought to the central station when postage entry or re-
entry is needed.
In addition to the advantages of miniature~ postage meter
jl use accruing to the ultimate user, the United States Government
S ~ should save substantial amounts in printing costs since the use
of stamps may be decreased.
¦~ Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to
¦provide a micro computerized, miniature postage meter which may
I be used by individuals as conveniently as previously printed
¦¦postage stamps are now used. Further, this invention contemplates
~¦a method of distributing and dispensing postage that employs the
miniature postage meter to decrease the need for previously
printed postage and, hence, governmental printing costs and
Ilurther to enhance the individual consumer's ease of using postage
1~ Other objects, aspects, and advantages of the present
¦¦invention will be pointed out in, or will be understood from,
" the following detailed description provided below in conjunction
l~with the accompanying drawings.
Il
¦ ~ BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
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t FIGURE 1 is a perspective view of one embodiment of the compu
! terized, miniature postage meter of the present invention positioned
' relative to a document, in the form of an envelope, immediately
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I¦ after printing postage indicia thereon.
FIGURE 2 is a vertical cross-sectional view taken through
plane 2-2 in FIGURE 1 illustrating the internal components of
this miniature postage meter.
S FIGUR~ 3 is a second vertical cross-sectional view taken
through plane 3-3 in FIGURE 1 at a right angle to plane 2-2
also illustrating internal components of the meter, particularly
the ink jet printing device, in detail.
FIGURE 4 is a bottom plan view of the postage meter showing
the array of outlets from the ink jet printing device.
FIGURE 5 is a top plan view of this postage meter.
- - FIGURE 6 is a horizontal cross-sectional view taken through
plane 6-6 in FIGURE 2 illustrating an input jack for entering
postage in the miniature postage meter.
FIGURE 7 is a horizontal cross-sectional view taken through
plane 7-7 in ~IGURE 3. .
¦ FIGURE 8 is an enlarged cross-sectional view taken through
¦ plane 8-8 in FIGURE 3 illustrating a portion of the ink jet
I ~rinting device.
1~ ~IGURE 9 is a functional block diagram of the postage meter
¦~ and of a central postage distributing station to which it is
connected for reentry of postage, for power supply recharging,
and for refill with ink.
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FIGURE 10 is an enlarged view of the upper right
hand corn~r of the envelope showing, in detail, the postage
indicia printed by the miniature posta~e meter of the present
invention.
FIG~RE 11 iS a vertical cross-sectional view taken
through plane 11-11 in FIGURE 13 of a second embodiment of
the miniature postage meter of the present invention having a
display for indicatinq the amount of stored postage remainina
in the meter.
FIGURE 12 is a second vertical cross-sectional view
taken through plane 12-12 in FIGURE 13 of this second embodiment.
FIGURE 13 iS a top plan view of this embodiment.
FIGURE 14 is a functional block dia~ram of the micro
computer and display used in this second embodiment.
FIGURE 15 is a partial vertical cross-sectional view `~
taken through plane 15-15 in FIGURE 18 of a third embodiment
of the postage meter of the present invention incorporated with
a hand-held mathematical calculator.
FIGURE 16 is a back elevational view of the postage
meter-calculator apparatus.
FIGURE 17 is a front elevational view of this
apparatus partly broken away to show detail.
FIGURE 18 iS a top plan view of this apparatus also
partly broken away to show detail.
FIGURE 19 is a perspective view of the third
embodiment shown while a document is being imprinted with postage
indicia.
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I FIGURE ~o is a functional block diagram of this combined
¦' postage rneter calculator apparatus.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THR PREF3~:RRED EMBODIMENTS
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~ FIGURE 1 illustrates one embodiment of the micro computerized ,
miniature postage meter of the present invention, generally indi-
cated at 10, ïn position immediately after printing predetermined
¦ postage indicia 12 on the upper right hand corner of a document in
the form of an envelo~e 14. Of course, postage indicia may be as
easily printed on other forms of documents, such as labels, that
are affixed to packages or directly on the packages. ~,
The illustrated envelope 14 is of conventional letter size,
namely 9.5 inches (24.1cm) wide and 4.0 (10.2cm) inches high.
It can be readily appreciated, then, that the miniature postage
meter 10 is extremely small (proposed dimensions are approximately
3.75 inches (9.5cm) in height and 1.5 inches (3.8cm) in diameter)
when compared with other presently known postage meters used in
business and industrv. The postage meter is comparable in size
l to many articles which people frequently carry with them, such
¦! as butane-type cigarette lighters, key carrying cases, and
l¦ cosmetic compacts. Since the meter is completely self-contained,
Il and, when activated in a manner described below in detail, rea~y
¦jto print postage that has been stored in it at any time or place,
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¦~ it is as convenient to use as previously printed postage stamps. I
¦I Furthermore, large amounts of postage can be stored in this meter I
more easily than similar amounts, in the form of small denomi-
I nation stamps, can be stored.
As will be explained in greater detail below, the compact
size of the postage meter 10 is achieved by the use of a single
chip micro computer which performs the meter control and data
processing functions, by the elimination of all mechanical docu-
ment handling apparatus, and by the elimination of usually large
and cumbersome mechanical printing apparatus. Specifically, the
me~er is designed to be moved relative to the document by the
operator while an electronic printing device, controlled by the
micro computer, prints the desired postage indicia.
! In this preferred embodiment, postage meter 10 is programmed
15 ¦I to print postage indicia 12 having only fixed information. For
¦¦ example, as shown in FIGURE 1 and in detail in FIGURE 10, the
,I postage indicia information may include a meter registration
il number 16, the postage amount 18, and the state and number 20 of
the central postage distributing station from which the meter
l¦ was issued. The information may also include prearranged code
, markings 22 intended to discourage counterfeit postage printing.
i! The meter may be programmed to print additional fixed information
il or variable information such as the date. Through more complex
1, refinements described below, the meter may also be adapte~ to
print variable postage amounts.
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Referring now to FIGURES 2 through 8, the micro computerized
llminiature postage meter 10 includes a main cylindrical body 24
! which houses operating components of the meter. At its lower
~ end, body 24 terminates in two partially cylindrical, diametricall
1 opposed s~irts 26 and 28 (FIGURES 2, 3, and 4). Two guide rollers ~
30 and 32, which are mounted to span the distance between opposed, i;
axially extending edges 34 and ~6 of the opposing skirts,
facilitate movement of the meter 10 over the envelope 14 or other
Idocument.
I The meter components are concealed and protected in the
cylindrical body 24 from both the bottom and top. The bottom of
body 24 is enclosed by a base support plate 37. The top of the
body is enclosed by a cap 38, having a cylindrical side wall 40 ¦
telescopically received for limited movement thereon. The side
wall 40 is provided with an inwardly directed annular rabbet 42
jat its lower margin that engages an outwardly directed annular
¦Irabbet 44 formed on body 24 to retain the cap on the body.
¦¦However, a resilient wave washer 48, interposed between the cap
Ibottom 50 and the body top 52, urges the cap axially outwardly
¦from the body as far as permitted by the interengaging rabbets.
IFurther, as shown in FIGURE 6, the interior of cap side wall 40
¦! and the exterior of the upper portion of body 24 are formed with
! interengaging splines 46 which prevent relative body-cap rotation
about their comm n axis A. As explained below, the meter is
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activated to print postage indicia by depressing the cap down onto
¦I the body.
As can be seen in FIGURES 2 and 3, the operating components
l of the meter include a printing apparatus in the form of an ink
jet printing device, generally indicated at 54, mounted on base
plate 37. This printing device is designed to project ink
droplets onto the document in a pattern forming postage indicia
12 when moved in close proximity relative thereto as depicted in
FIGURE 1. The device 54 comprises eleven precisely aligned,
closely spaced, ink-conducting capillaries or channels 56 (FIGURE
3), the outlet ends 58 of which are arranged in a linear array
which extends in a direction parallel to the axes of guide rollers
30 and 32 (FIGURE 4). Further, these outlet ends 58 are positione
in close relation to the document when the meter is supported
thereon. Accordingly, the linear capillary outlet end array
extends perpendicularly to the direction in which the miniature
postage meter 10 is designed to be moved relative to the envelope
14. At their ends opposite the outlet ends 58, capillaries 56
all communicate with an arcuate manifold 57 supplied through a
central conduit 59.
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As shown in FIGURE 3 and in greater detail in FIGURE 8, an
electrical-to-mechanical transducer 60 is located in communication
with each of the ink capillaries 56. Each transducer includes a
. . Isi.ngle disk of piezoelectric ceramic 62 bonded to an electrically
inactive substrate 65. When the ceramic is energized, a slight
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physical deflection or "dishing" is produced which is sufficient
¦ to cause ejection of a tiny ink droplet through the outlet end
¦ 58 of the associated capillary 56. Accordingly, when the trans-
I ducers are energized in proper sequence as the meter 10 is moved
across the envelope 14, the postage indicia 12 are formed of a
pattern of tiny projected ink droplets.
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Ink jet printing devices similar to that described above
are presently produced and sold by Gould, Inc., Chicago, Illinois,
and electrical-to-mechanical transducers such as those described,
commonly called "unimorphs", are manufactured by, for example,
Vernitron Piezoelectric Division, Bedford, Ohio.
The printing device 54 supports an ink reservoir 64 which
supplies ink to central conduit 59, manifold 57 and, hence
¦ capillaries 56. More particularly, the reservoir is formed with
¦ a bottom coupling 66 which engages main conduit 59. Opposing
¦ flanges 68 and 70 (FIGURES 2 and 3) formed on the bottom of
¦ reservoir 64 embrace the upper portion of printer 54 and guide
¦the coupling 66 to conduit 59. A capped filler tube 67 shown
¦in phantom lines in FIGURES 2 and 3, is in fluid communication
Iwith and is used to fill the reservoir.
¦l As the meter is moved across the document on guide rollers
¦,30 and 32, the ink jet printing device 54 is sequentially actuated
¦Iby a single chip micro computer 72 to project ink droplets onto
~,the document surface in a postage indicia printing pattern.
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In order to accomplish this control function, the micro computer
72 is electrically connected to the individual transducers 60 of
printing device 54 in a manner that may be described with
reference to FIGURES 2, 3, 7 and 8. The micro computer is mounted
on and electrically connected to a first printed circuit board
74 which has printed conductive paths 76 thereGn. A second
printed circuit board 78, also having conductive paths 80 thereon,
is electrically connected to the first and, hence, to micro
computer 72, by conducters 81 (FIGURE 7). Both boards are
mounted in vertical, mutually parallel relation in the cylindrical
body 24 and are supported at their upper ends by suitable struts 8
mounted from the inner cyli~der wall (FIGURE 3) Each board is
further supported at its lower end by two opposing, upwardly
projecting flanges 86 and 88 formed on the top of ink reservoir
64 (FIGURES 2 and 3). The connections continue through conductive
¦paths 90 formed on the ink reservoir. In particular, the
!reservoir is encased in silicone rubber into which the conductive
¦paths are molded in a manner developed by Chomerics, Inc., Woburn,
¦Massachusetts. As shown in FIGURE 2, conductive paths 76 and 80
Iwhich carry control signals to transducers 60 terminate at
jlocations between flanges 86 and 88. Similarly, paths 90
: ¦terminate in flanges 86 and 88 which accordingly form sockets ~:
¦Ifor ~he bottoms of circuit boards 74 and 78. The connections
!!are completed through flanges 68 and 70 which embrace printing
I device 54. As shown in FI~,URE 8, conductive paths 92 are printed ¦
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on the face of device 54, are contacted by paths 90 in flanges
68 and 70, and are connected to the transducer ceramic 62
through a mass 94 of conductive rub~er. (Note that paths 92
properly appear to overlie caplllaries 56 in FIGURE 3.)
The micro computer also automatically coordinates the rate
at which it sequentially actuates the ink printing device with
the rate of movement of the meter and, hence, the printing device
relat;ve to t~e document. In order to do so, the micro computer
is supplied by an optical monitor with signals indicative of the
actual rate of relative document-meter movement. This optical
monitort generally indicated at 96 and shown in detail in
FIGURES 2 and 4, includes a phototransistor 98 to which light is 7
conducted by a fiber optic probe 100. The probe is fixed in a
mounting block 102 to focus on the area of the envelope 14
where ink droplets are projected from the lowermost capillary
outlet 58a. The optical monitor 96 further includes a source
of light in the form of a light emitting diode (LED) 104 also
positioned in mounting block 102 to focus on the area of the
envelope at which ink droplets from outlet 58a are projected.
¦1 In this as well as other embodiments of the meter 10, micro c )m-
puter 72 is programmed so that an ink droplet is projected from ou :-
let 58a each time printing device 54 is actuated, to ~ield a contr ~1
pattern in the form of a line 106 underscoring other information
in the postage indicia as sho~n in FIGURE 10. Accordingly, the
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optical monitor 96 observes this control pattern since the photo-
Il transistor can sense changes in the magnitude of light emitted
¦¦ by the LED 104 and reflected from the control line ink droplets
¦ and from the blank document areas between the control line ink
droplets. A pulsating signal having frequency determined by the
rate of movement of the monitor over the line is, therefore,
generated and conducted to the micro computer 72.
The functional interrelationship of the micro computer 72,
ink jet printing device 54, and optical monitor 96 and further
details of micro computer operation may be most easily described
with reference to FIGURE 9. As shown there, the micro computer
72 includes a logic circuit 108 which controls actuation of the
ink jet printing device 54 and is connected thereto in the manner
described above. ' -
The micro computer 72 also has a clock circuit 110, connected
to phototransistor 98 through line 112, which computes the
instantaneous rate of relative mo~ement of the printing device and
i the document from the phototransistor input signal. The clock
I! circuit then generates a feedback signal on line 114 to the logic
¦I circuit 108 which coordinates the instantaneous rate of actuation
¦l of the printing device-document movement. In this manner, the
postage indicia is properly formed regardless of the rate at
which the meter is moved across the envelope.
A postage memory register 116, also part of micro computer
2S ~ 72, stores purchased amoun~ of postage and is addressable by the
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logic circuit 108 on line 115 to reduce the stored amount of
postage by that prlnted during each me-ter use. That is, at the
completion of printing of one postage indicator or mark, the
logic addresses the memory register to reduce the stored amount
of postage by -the amount printed.
Finally, the micro computer 72 includes a disabling
lock-out 118 which is addressable by the memory register 116 on
line 119 to render the meter inoperative when the stored amount
of postage is depleted to a predetermined minimum amount. For
example, the disabling lock-out 118 may be set to lock out the
meter when one imprint remains in the memory register. In the
preferred embodiment of the meter, the lo~ic circuit is disabled
by the lock-out. Further, the meter may be provided with a low
postage indicator in the form of an li~ht emitting diode 120,
mounted in cap 38, (FIGURES 3 and 5) addressable by the memory
register to light when some anount of postage higher than the
minimum amount remains in the memory. For example, the memory
might be set to turn LED 120 on when ten imprints remain to be
used. In this way, the meter warns the user that more postage
must be pu~chased.
As shown in FIGURES 2,3,6 and 9, the micro computer 72
and associated components, and the LED 104 are eneraized by a
power supply 107 in the form of a rechargeable, nickel cadmium
battery which is connected to activate the meter through a
microswitch 109. This microswitch is mounted with circuit board
74 in operative proximity to a protective leaf spring 111 mounted
on cap 38. When the cap is depressed, the switch is closed to
activate the meter for one print cycle. (Note that the disabling
lock-out 118 may also be arranged to disconnect power supply 107
through switch 109 at the same time as the logic circuit is disabled.)
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The micro computerized miniature postage meter of the present
I¦ invention is used as follows. when one wishes to imprint a
¦~ document with postage indicia, the cap is pressed downwardly to
¦I close microswitch 109 which enables the power supply 107 to
¦ activate the micro computer 72. The meter is placed on the upper
right hand corner of the envelope 14 with the indicating arrow
printed on the cap 38 pointing from right to left along the top '
of the envelope. The meter is then moved from right to left on
rollers 30 and 32 at any desired rate. (Right-to-left movement
is chosen to insure that the postage indicia is printed entirely
on the document.) The optical monitor 96 observes the rate at whi h ~
the meter is moved relative to the document and the micro computer f
clock circuit 110 automatically calculates the instantaneous rela-
tive rate from this observed rate. The clock circuit in turn
signals the logic circuit 108 to actuate the ink jet printing de-
! vice 54 at a rate which properly forms the postage indicia without
distortion. After the indicia has been completely printed, the
¦ logic circuit addresses the memory register 116 to reduce the amou It
! of postage stored therein by the amount of postage just printed.
20 11 After repeated uses when the postage stored in the memory
;Iregister has been depleted to the predetermined mini~um amount, t~
disabling lock-out 118 automatically disconnects the power supply
from the micro computer and disables the logic. Accordingly, even
¦,by tampering with the ~eter to reconnect the power supply, a user
¦cannot enable it to print more postage until reprogrammed.
,, The miniature postage meter of the present invention is
¦Idesigned for repeated reuse in conjunction with a central postage
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¦ distributing station 122 diagra~matically illustrated in FIGURE
¦l 9. As shown in FIGURES 2, 3 and 6, the meter includes a number
¦l of input connections all accessible when cap 38 is removed. These
I¦ input connections comprise two jack plugs 124 which are connected
5 ¦¦ to the micro computer. Further, two jack plugs 126 are positioned
!! at the top of the power supply for connection with a recharging
¦¦ source. Finally, inlet filler tube 66 to the ink reservoir 64
¦¦ has a cover 128 which is removed and replaced with cap 38. When
¦¦ the meter 10 is returned to the central postage distributing
¦I station 122, the cap 38 is removed by an authorized person. The
¦¦ meter is then plugged into the central station 122 which has a
main input plug 130 that is connected to a power supply recharger
132, a ink supply 134, and a postage dispensing computer 136
adapted to enter purchased postage in the micro computer memory
I register. Main input plug is arranged to simultaneously connect
Imicro computer 72 with dispensing computer 136, the power supply
¦107 with the power supply recharger 132 and the ink reservoir 62
with the ink supply 134. Thus, the power supply may be recharged,
~additional purchased postage may be reentered in the memory
20 1I register, and the ink reservoir may be refilled in one step.
¦I The micro computerized miniature postage meter of the present
~¦invention may be adapted in more sophisticated embodiments for
expanded capability. For example, FIGURES 11 through 14 illustrate
l¦a second embodiment, which has a display for indicating the exact !
~iamount of postage that remains stored in the meter after each use.
,,The second embodiment of the postage meter of the invention,
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,j generally indicated at 210, includes a rectangular body 212 which
~ is closed at the top and open at the bottom, and which is approxi-
il mately the same size as a key carrying case. A self-contained
il start print button 215 is mounted in the top of the body. A
'i base support plate 214 encloses the bottom of the body and 3l
ij supports the meter components which include an ink jet printing
! device 216 supplied with ink by an ink reservoir 218 in the same
¦, fashion as described with reference to the first embodiment. The
~I ink jet printing device is actuated by a micro computer 220 having
~¦ three integrated circuit chips 222 each mounted on a separate
¦', printed circuit board 224. The circuit boards are mounted in verti-
I cal, mutually parallel relation above a power supply 226 in the
ji form of a nickel cadmium battery supported on base plate 214. The
~ circuit boards 224 and, hence, chips 222, are interconnected
~i ana are further connected with other meter components such as
start print button 215, power supply 226 and printing device 2~6
, by a multiconductor ribbon-type cable 227.
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. As with the meter of the first embodiment, the meter 210 of
,i the second is adapted to be moved in operative pro~imity relative
' to a document, during which time the micro computer 220 actuates
" the printing device 216 to properly form desire~ postage indicia
;! without distortion. In order to do so, micro computer 220 is
connected through cable 227 to an optical monitor 228 identical
to the monitor previously described, which observes the rate of
relative movement and provides a rate indicating signal to the
micro computer.
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- As shown in simplified form in FIGV~E 14, micro computer 220
includes logic 230 and clock 232 circuits which then coordinate
the rate of printing device actuation with the rate of relative
~ metex-document movement in the same way as micro computer 72.
s 1 Micro computer 220 also incorporates a postage memory register
!i 234, for storing purchased amounts of postage, which has added
i capability not found in memory register 116. In particular, in
this second meter embodiment, the memory register ?34 is adapted
i' to signal a display 236 to indicate the amount of postage which
~' remains stored in the meter after each use. This display, which
may be a light emitting diode or liquid crystal display, according-
ly becomes a visible descending postage register. In the pre-
j ferred form, the micro computer 220 is programmed to activate the
, display 236 approximately five seconds after postage indicia has
5 !i been printed and for a period of five seconds. Thus, the meter
user is reminded, after each meter use, of how much postage
remains stored therein, and of when more postage should be entered
,
, in the memory register.
The micro computer finally includes a disabling lock-out
~ circuit 238 for disabling the meter when postage stored in memory
register 234 has been depleted to a predetermined minimum amount.
; The meter 210 constructed in accordance with the second
embodiment may be replenished with ink and postage by removing
the entire body 212 from the meter components, thus exposing
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micro computer input jacks 240 and an ink reservoir fi,ller tube
242. Cable 227 is provided with a loop 244 to permit
disengagement of the body from the components. Power supply
226 can be recharged through an exposed input ~ack 246.
A third embodiment, which functions as both a postage
meter and a mathematical calculator is illustrated in FIGURES
15 through 20. The apparatus 310 of this embodiment is housed
in a body 312 having size approxima-tely the same as currently
available handheld calculators, and includes a micro computer
314 comprised of five integrated circuit chips 316. Each chip
is again mounted on a printed circuit board 318.
Micro compu-ter 314 includes a programmable postage
logic circuit 320 (FIGURE 20) which actuates a printing device
in the form of six staggered, eleven-jet ink jet printers 322
(FIGS. 17, 18 & 19) arranged to print postage indicia from the
resulting sixty-six ink droplet array. Each single printer
is identical to those described with reference to the first
two embodiments of the present invention. ~lowever, by arranging
a collection of six printers as shown in FIGURES 15 and 18,
printing capacity is greatly increased.
As can be seen in FIGURE 15, body 312 is formed with
a support portion 324 and an elevated portion 326 on its
bottom. The ink jet printers are mounted above the elevated
portion under which a document may be easily drawn as depicted
in FIGS. 18 & 19 to receive printed indicia.
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It will be appreciated from FIGURE 20 that apparatus
310 also includes an optical monitor 328 and that micro
computer 314 also includes a clock circuit 330, a memory
register 332, and a disablinq lock-out circuit 334, all of
which function in the same way as do corresponding components
described with reference to the first two em~odiments. However,
postage logic circuit 320 is more versatile than the logic
circuits in either of those embodiments since it may be
programmed to actuate the printing device to print varying
amQunts of postage. An input key board 336 talso shown in
FIGS. 15 & 17 through 19) mounted on top of body 312 is
provided for entering information and program~ing instructions r
in the micro computer postage logic for this purpose.
Moreover, micro computer 314 also includes a
mathematical logic circuit 338 which is programmed to perform
mathematical calculations. Information and programming
instructions may also be entered in mathematical logic circuit
through key board 336. A mode control switch 339 is provided
so that the apparatus 310 may be selectively operated through
key board 336 in either the postage meter or calculator mode.
The ink jet printing device may be actuated by the
mathematical logic circuit 338 to print results of mathematical
calculations. However, a display 340, in the form, for example,
of a light emittin~ diode or liquid crystal display, is mounted
in the upper portion of body 312 for visually showina these
results.
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Display 3~0 may also be connected to the memory
- register to show the amount of postage stored therein, in
the same manner as display 236 of the second embodiment'when
the apparatus is operated in the pos-tage meter mode.
Power supply and micro computer input jacks 342
and 344 respectively are accessible from the rear of body 312
(FIG. 16) for recharging a power supply 3~6 and reentering
postage in memory register 332.
The miniature postage meters of the present invention
and a central postage distributing station may be used in
several novel ways to distribute and dispense postage. In each
way, the micro computer postage memory register of any
miniature postage meter is first electrically connected to the
central station 122, i.e. the postage dispensing computer 136 -
and a predetermined purchased amount of postage is entered
therein. The meter may then be distributed to the ultimate
postage user by any number of different methods. For example,
the postage user may obtain a meter at a post office or store
by paying a cash security deposit in addition to purchasing
the amount of postage stored in it. He then uses the postage
in the meter as necessary in the manner described above. Once
the memory register has been depleted of purchased postage,
the meter is disabled to prevent further dispensing of postage. -
It is then returned to the place of purchase from which it
is returned to the central postage distributin~ station. The
micro computer of the meter is again electrically connected
to the postage distributing computer and a predetermined amount
of postage is entered in the memory register. The cycle of
distribution and use is then repeated.
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,~hen the meter is returned to the place of purchase by the 3
ultimate postage user, his security deposit is refunded or alter-
! natively, he is given a meter in which postage has been entered
!~ in exchange for purchase of the amount of postage. Return may be i
jl accomplished by mailing or hand carrying the meter for exchange
to the central postage distributing station.
Alternatively, the meter may be sold directly to the ultimate
postage user. When he desires to purchase more postage, he:merely
,j has to return the meter to a central postage distribution station
~l where an additional amount of purchased postage is entered in its
ji memory register. ~eprogramming station consols may also be set
up at locations remote from the central distribution station. In
~ each of these alternative methods, the ink reservoir is refilled
! and the power supply is recharged when the meter is connected to
the central postage distribution station.
' The advantages of such a system of postage distribution to
, both the consumer and to the government can be readily appreciated.
!! The postage consumer is afforded a means of using postage far
'; more convenient than those presently known. Government printing
costs for postage would also be greatly reduced.
Although specific embodiment of the micro computerized,
miniature postage meter of the present invention and methods for
distributing and dispensing postage using this meter have been
.
,
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described above in detail, it is to be understood that this
disclosure is for purposes of illustration. Modifications may
be made to the described structures and to the described methods
', by those skilled in the art in order to adapt these structures .
, and methods to particular applications.
;I WHAT IS CLAIMED IS: i
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